Coupling



Patented June 30, 1931 ERNEST W. DAVIS, 01 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COUPLING Originalapplication filed March 18, 1926, Serial No. 95,688. Divided and thisapplication filed May 12, o 1927. Serial No. 190,696. v

My inventionrelates to lubrication and more specifically to an improvedcoupling for connecting the discharge tube, or opening, of a source oflubricant under pressure, to means fixed on the bearing, or machineelement, to be lubricated, for receiving such lubricant under pressure.

This application is a division of my copfnding application, Serial N 0.95,688, filed arch 18, 1926, for couplings.

Among the objects and advantages of the invention may be enumerated:

First, the simplification and standardization of the constructionalembodiment of the coupling;

Second, increased ease in replacement and maintenance; and

Third, greater certainty in operation.

The problem involved is unique on account of the small volumes to behandled, the relatively wide range and high upper limit of the pressuresto be carried, and the unusually objectionable features, from aservice'standpoint, of even a. very slight leakage. Thus, a relativelysmall quantity of lubricant is all that need be injected at eachlubrication into an ordinary bearing, and a moderate pressure is oftensuificient, but the equipment employed is usually capable of generatingrelatively high pressures of the order of magnitude of one thousandpounds per square inch or more, for forcing the lubricant positivelyinto places clogged with dirt or old lubricant, and such high pressuresare required at frequentintervals in service. Furthermore, a very slightleak soon soils the parts and destroys one of the main advantagesrendering lubricating systems of the type involved superior to ordinarygrease cups, viz. cleanliness.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a central section through a complete coupling showing thetwo coupling members in separated relation;

Figure 2 is a similar section showing the two coupling members incoupled relation;

- and coupling member comprises two sleeves, a rear, or inlet, sleeve 10and a front, or discharge, sleeve 12. smooth, uniform outerconfiguration and identical diameter, so that they appear in use as asingle element. On the inside, one of the sleeves is enlarged as at 14to form a shoulder, and the threaded end 16 on the other sleeve engagesthe threads 18 in the first sleeve to fasten the parts together. Thechannel thus formed between the end portion 16 and the opposing shoulderreceives and clamps in place a suitable seat for the valve.

The rear sleeve is threaded at 20 for at-.

tachment to the discharge opening of a grease gun ,'or the end of asuitable conduit for con- The two sleeves are of veylng lubricant underpressure into the coupling. Its rear end is also provided with aninwardly extending flange 22 forming a seat for the valve spring 24.-

The front sleeveis of bayonet slots 26 for receiving the projecting ends28 of a pin 30 passing transversely through the tubular body 32 of amale cou pling member, commonly referred to by the trade as afitting.The fitting has a threaded tubular end portion 34 for attaching the sameto a bearing, or the like, a smooth contact face 36 atits receiving endfor forming a lubricant seal, and a shoulder at 38 forming a valve seat.The ball check valve 40 is held against the seat 38 by a suitable spring42.

The slots 26 have been illustrated in this instance with a returnpocket, or reversely tain the parts in coupled position.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in Figure1, the valve or other material suitable for forming a tight seal,reinforced by a metal ring 54, both clamped in place by assembling thefront and rear sleeves.

The sealing means for effecting a lubricant tight seal with the face 36of the fitting provided with a pair I inclined inner end portion 44,tending to re- The valve proper 46 seats on an annular ring 52 ofleather, fibre,

- jammed snugly is established tivc sealing member.

comprises a cork friction cylinder 5870 into the bore of the frontsleeve and having a snug. friction fit therein. The reinforcing sleeve96k extends entirely through the cork cylinder 58k and fits loosely onthe end of the valve stem 50. I have found that a cork member of thissort will maintain snug frictional engagement and stay in place quitenicely without the provision of any means for preventing it fromslipping out of the end of the sleeve 12. When, after a very long periodof service, it happens to work loose, it can be withdrawn and a newtight-fitting one slipped in place without separating the sleeves.

When a lubricant receiving fitting is drawn into the end of the femalecoupling member by the interaction of the slots on the coupling memberand the pin of the fitting, an initial seal between the coupling memberand the fitting is efiected by the spring 24 acting through the valve46, sleeve 96%: and cork cylinder 5870. As soon aslthe valve 46 has beenmoved from its seat by theinward movement of the fitting, this initialseal is reinforced by the pressure of the lubricant acting on the innerend of the corkcylinder and serving to press it more tightly against theend of the fitting. Communication between the bore'of the fitting andthe'interior of the sleeve 10 through the axial opening in the sleeve96k and cross passages 60 therein.

It will be apparent that the assembled female coupling member is aself-contained, unitary structure of convenient and serviceable shapeand so designed as to provide maximum facility in replacin a worn ordefec- It should also be noted that disconnecting the front and rearsleeves by unscrewing them, will let the metal ring 54, the valve seat52, the valve 46, and the valve spring 24, all fall apart into as manyseparate pieces. Thus, any or all of the parts, which may have been wornby usage, or damaged by theinsertion into the coupling member of toolsnot intended for such use, may readily bere laced, or repaired, and allthe insides stac ed together again and reassembled by threading thesleeves together.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 is identical with that disclosedin Figures 1 and 2 except that in this instance the valve proper 46 isprovided with a longer valve stem 50 having a shoulder 92 adjacent itsouter end which serves as an abutment for the cork cylinder 58?: and itsreinforcing sleeve 94. In .this embodiment the valve stem 50' isprovided witlra passage 59 for establishing communication between theinterior of the sleeve 94 and the interior of the sleeve 12.

Having thus illustrated and described'preferred embodiments of myinvention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

.movable through 1. A lubricant couplin member com-prising a sleevehaving an in ct end and an outlet end, a check valve elementintermediate said ends, a seat for said valve, a sprin housed in saidinlet end for pressing sai valve toward its seat, a. sealing elementcomprising a cork cylinder compressed into and having a friction fit inthe outlet end of said sleeve, a stem carried by one of said elementspressed into and having a friction fit in the outlet end of said sleeve,and a stem carried by one of said elements and having contact engagementwith the other.

3. A lubricant couplin member comprising aligned inlet and out etsleeves, one end of one of said sleeves being cut down and ex ternallythreaded, the juxta. osed end'of the other sleeve being enlarge andinternally threaded, the length of being less than the len h of theenlarged end, a valve seat clampe .in the annular 01'1- fice thus formedwhen said sleeves are assem'bled, a lubricant receiving fitting, abayonet joint connection between said outlet sleeve and said fitting, anoutwardly opening check valve on said seat, a spring .in sai inletsleeve for holding said check valve closed, a valve stem extending fromsaid valve outwardly'along the axis of said outlet sleeve, a sealing ketat the outer end of saidvalve stem, sai gasket, stem and valve havingabutment to transmit a thrust from the end of said fitting to said valvefor opening said valve the action of the spring, said stem and rablewhen said sleeves are separated.

4. A. lubricant coupling member comprising a sleeve having an inlet endand an outlet end, a check valve element intermediate said ends, a seatfor said valve, a sealing element in the outlet end of said sleeve, atubular stem! carried by said sealing element and extendin back intocontact with said valve, said tu ular stem comprising a separateelement, said sealing element and stem being resleeve.

5. In high pressure lubricating apparatus of the class described, alubricant coupling member comprising asleeve having an inlet end and anoutlet end and a passage connecting said ends, said passage having anunobstructed outlet end portion, a sealing element valve being freelysepathe open outlet end of said 95 the cut down end comprising a corkcylinder compressed into and having a friction lit in saidunobstructedportion, said sealing element being removable through the outlet end ofsaid sleeve, and a reinforcing tubular member within said see-lingelement and extending substantially the entire length thereof.

6. A lnbricent coupling member comprising a else having an inlet end andan outlet end a a passage connecting said ends, a sealing t oer saving afriction lit in no. :a tubular said cylinder end periphery of saideating apparatus of the class dcserieed, coupling rnenilier comprising a1115: an inlet end and en unobstructed om end, check valve elementintermediate said ends, a seat for said valve, a sealing element in theoutlet end of said sleeve, tnoular stem carried by said sealing elementand slidably engaging a part of said valve element, said sealing elementand tubuler stem being rcn'i'ovehle through the outlet end oi saidsleeve.

9. A lubricant eoupling member comprising a sleeve having an inlet endand an outlet end, a check valve element intermediate said ends, a seatfor said valve, a spring housed in said inlet end for pressing saidvalve toward its seat, a projection carried by said valve and extendingthrough said seat, a sealing" element-in the outlet end of said sleeve,a tubular stern carried bysaid sealing element and extending back intosliding" engagement with said projection, whereby said tubular elementand said sealing memher are movable independently of said valve, andbayonet slot means in the outlet end of said sleeve for telescoping saidsleeve over a reeeivin fitting to establish a seal with said sealinnienioer and push said valve open, said stern having a lateral openingbetween said valve and said sealing member to complete a passage throughto said fitting when said valve is open.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of May,1927.

' ERNEdT. W. DAVIS.

sing e cork cylinderv

